Blame it on the Firewhiskey
by Harry50
Summary: Summer after fourth year. Harry stays at Grimmauld Place, with Sirius, Hermione and the Weasleys. Sirius wants to celebrate. The concsquances bring some changes nobody could expect. Harry/Hermione. No bashing.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN:** This story is a bit different than most of my other stories, being told in first person and a slightly different style. It still has Harry/Hermione pairing, magical bonds and other stuff you've already seen in other of my stories as well as at other authors. If you don't like variations on a known theme - don't read it. If, on the other hand, you like playing with various ideas, rearrange them, sequence them and see what if... then you may surely enjoy this story._

 _As always - the Harry Potter worls and its characters are not mine. The belong to JK Rowling and her associates. I only own the plot (barely)._

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 **1**

It all happened due to the firewhiskey, I swear. Ask Sirius, if you don't trust me. He'll confirm my story, I'm sure. He'll first tease me and Hermione to death, of course, but we deserve it. We should have known better than to trust a Marauder and two pranksters, and yet I can't say that any of us regrets it. No, sir! It couldn't have turned better even had Hermione planned it herself.

I'm not clear enough, you say? Well, let me tell you the whole story, or as much of it as I could find out. I couldn't remember much after that night, so I had to dig for information, interrogating others, yet most couldn't remember much either, as none stayed too sober at the time. Still, I think I manage to find out most of it and make it into a concise sequence of events, the way they probably happened. I'm still unsure about some details, and there were some contradictions which I'm not sure I fully solved, but… Who cares? What matters is the final result, don't you agree?

It all started after my trial. What trial, you ask? Alright. It was the summer after my fourth year, after Cedric was killed and Voldemort resurrected. Our esteemed Minister at that time – Mr. Cornelius Fudge – wouldn't hear of that, of course, and he started a propaganda campaign to make me look like I was hallucinating. Someone of his followers probably got the idea that they would be better if they got rid of me altogether and sent two dementors to Little Whinging to take care of that.

Their plan didn't work. Both I and Dudley were nearly kissed, but I manage to produce a Patronus and get rid of the dementors. Although I saved us from fate worse than death, the minister thought he could now put me to trial, both for underage magic and for doing magic in front of muggles. You say that being underage I couldn't possibly be put on trial? That didn't seem to bother the minister.

Luckily, it turned out that Dumbledore could prove that my use of magic was justified and I was found innocent. Back at Grimmauld Place, I was given a small celebration by Mrs. Weasley and I felt glad to put that problem behind me. Sirius seemed to have a different idea, though, and he had no problem recruiting the twins to help him. With three brilliant minds working together, it was a sure bet that their plan would succeed.

A few days after that trial, Sirius told me, "I want to properly celebrate your winning the trial along with a belated birthday party. I've already secured a room on the third floor, far enough from Mrs. Weasley, and made sure to silence it. You, Hermione and Ron should come there after you hear Mrs. Weasley retire. Be careful not to make noise on your way, or she'll send you back to bed."

"You really need not bother," I told him. "Being here with you and with my best friends is celebration enough." I really felt that way.

"Oh, nonsense! It's about time you learned how to properly celebrate, the way your father and I used to do. Besides, being locked in here for my protection, I need some distractions once in a while, and it's not a bother at all. Just come!"

I smiled thankfully at him. "I will."

There was an order meeting after dinner and then Dumbledore stayed a bit later. By the time Mrs. Weasley went to her room it was almost midnight. Luckily, Ginny was already fast asleep by then, as Sirius said we should not bring her along, and Hermione wouldn't have been able to leave their room otherwise. Still, Hermione was wearing her nightgown and a dressing gown over it, as she had to pretend going to bed at the same time as Ginny. Ron was also wearing his pyjamas. I didn't have any, so I just stayed in my normal clothes. We sneaked stealthily up the stairs and along the short corridor. Sirius was waiting at the door and waved us silently into the still dark room. He quickly closed the door behind us, and the room immediately lighted with some festive lights, revealing a fully laden table with all kinds of snacks, both muggle and magical, and several kinds of beverage. I was not surprised to find Fred and George grinning at the far side of the room.

The walls were decorated with "Happy Birthday" banners and the large cake in the middle of the table had "15" written on it. Some lively background music was playing, adding to the festive mood.

Sirius lighted the candles on the cake and had me blow them off. Luckily, these were normal candles. I feared they would be the trick ones, that just can't be blown off – that would have been more in line with both Sirius's and the twins' doings. We then enjoyed the cake and some other treats and drank a bit. Besides pumpkin juice, the twins also brought some of the popular muggle drinks as well as butterbeer.

We were celebrating for more than half an hour when Sirius came to me with a tray full of glasses containing a pale yellowish liquid. "It's about time you taste this," he said.

"What is it?" I could already guess, based on the alcoholic scent.

"That's firewisky. Your father and I had our first experience with it when we were thirteen. It's way overdue for you to try it as well."

I wasn't so sure about it and I could see Hermione frown at the idea, which made it even less appealing. Sirius insisted, though. "Prongslet, you must drink and make your father proud. I promised him, soon after you were born, that I'll teach you to drink. Of course, Lily wasn't too happy about that, as you can imagine."

I could see that Hermione wasn't happy either, although the twins seemed quite happy to take some, and Ron was curious enough to take a glass as well. Sirius didn't wait for me to decide. He shoved a glass into my hand and another into Hermione's. "Let us all toast for Harry, our own Prongslet, our champion, who stood bravely against the ministry and against the dark lord. Let us all wish him long and happy life!"

Reminding me of Voldemort was not a good idea. I lifted my glass, thinking of Cedric, and drank it all in one gulp, as did Sirius and the twins. That was a mistake. It burned my mouth, my throat and my stomach like fire and made me gasp for air. Ron, who also tried to take it all in one gulp, seemed to choke on it, making the twins laugh harder. Hermione, though, drank it in little sips, grimacing at each.

Sirius roared with laughter. "The best way to overcome the burning sensation is to drown it with some more!" He pushed another glass towards me. The twins took one each and made Ron take another as well. Hermione was still holding her half-full first glass.

I've never checked what goes into that beverage that makes it so potent. As soon as I had the second glass, I felt like all my worries were going away, floating on alcohol fumes. I became much nicer to talk with, so Sirius told me. Even Hermione's frown seemed to melt away. Yet I didn't drink it all at once. I still held a half-full glass. Ron, who drank it all, was immediately offered his third by one of the twins – I could no longer discern them at that stage. Hermione finally finished her first glass and Sirius was quick to refill it. I think he already had four by that time.

As I reached the bottom of my second glass I was starting to feel unstable and my words came out slurred. This didn't seem to bother Sirius, who poured some more into my glass, but Hermione, although a bit inebriated herself, thought it was enough. "I'll help Harry to his bed. You two," she pointed at the twins, "should take Ron to your room. He's in no condition to go any farther." She turned to me. "Come, lean on me if you need to."

I don't remember how we managed to arrive to my room. I could barely hold myself upright by that time and walking was a task beyond me. Still, Hermione made sure that we reached the room with no mishaps and without waking any of the responsible adults. Once there, I fell on my bed. She took my shoes and my socks off and wanted to tuck me in bed.

"My shirt… and… my trousers. I sleep in.. Hic… my boxers only," I mumbled. Had I not been drunk I would have felt ashamed to let her see me in my (oversized) boxers only.

Hermione obliged. I think she also blushed, but I'm not sure and she certainly couldn't tell me later. She then tucked me in bed and I probably fell asleep immediately.

Something awakened me. It may have been a dream, or some noise, and maybe something else. I sat on my bed, trying to understand what it was, and then I suddenly felt really sick. I felt like all that I ate during the last month was trying to get out again – through my mouth. I barely managed to turn aside, so that my bed would escape the mess.

"Aw!" I heard a voice and some steps, sloshing through the mess, and then, "Harry, are you alright?"

It was so out of place, that I would have laughed, if I could, but my mouth was wide open, letting some more out. Hermione stood aside, supporting my shoulders and trying to let me know that she would help me, no matter what. It took a bit for my stomach to calm down, letting me finally breathe, yet I was covered in sweat.

Hermione dug a wand – I didn't know if it was hers, mine or Ron's – and vanished the mess that I made. She used some more spells to clean my bed and her clothes and an air-freshening charm to make the room tolerable again. "I'll bring you some water to wash your mouth and refresh a bit," she told me, moving swiftly out. She returned quickly, holding a glass of water and a small bowl, for me to wash my mouth into.

I took it thankfully. Once my mouth felt close to normal again, I lifted my eyes at her. Hermione was only wearing her nightgown now. Its front was quite wet and it was clinging tightly to her body, making her look almost naked. The wetness made the cloth translucent, so that nothing was left for my imagination. "Hermione, you're..." I said, pointing at her nightgown.

She looked down and I could see her blushing furiously despite the dim light. "The Dressing gown needs a through washing. I had only a few splatters on this, and I thought..."

"Take one of my oversized shirts, if you want," I suggested. Although I liked the view, I knew she felt extremely embarrassed. Besides, we were both still drunk, I was sure.

Hermione went to the foot of my bed and opened my trunk. She chose my Quidditch team jersey, though. She turned her back to me, took off her nightgown, letting me enjoy the view of her very trim behind, and then pulled on my shirt, which reached about halfway down her thighs.

"Move aside," she said, lifting the edge of my blanket.

"What are you doing?"

She sighed. "You're clearly in no condition to be left alone, just like earlier in the night, yet I can't sleep on the carpet now..."

"There's no carpet in this room," I intervened.

"No carpet? Oh! That explains why I needed to spread the dressing gown under my body to fall asleep."

"You could use Ron's bed," I suggested.

She grimaced. "Have you seen the condition he left it in? I'd rather sleep here, with you. Besides, after getting all wet, I need you to give me some warmth. Now move!"

I moved as far as I could, until my back was pressed to the wall. Hermione tucked herself in and sighed contentedly, closing her eyes.

I thought we would fall asleep quickly, being so tired and drunk. That didn't happen. I heard Hermione's soft breath and it sounded quite irregular, as if she was excited about something. I was certainly excited. Seeing her naked made my body react, and her proximity, knowing that only my jersey was separating our bodies, didn't help much. Just to add to my concerns, Hermione moved her hand under the blanket and it brushed against my erection, that was barely covered by my boxers.

She turned her face to me, looking very serious. "Do you want to do what your body implies?"

I wasn't sure about my answer, but she thought I didn't understand her correctly, so she elaborated. "I mean, I'd love to give you my vir...ginity and later get imp...reg...nated by you and give you children, but do you feel the same about me? Do you see any future with me at your side?"

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	2. Chapter 2

**2**

To tell you the truth, I had never given the future much thought. Children are not even supposed to think of that, and having to face mortal dangers every year since I came to Hogwarts made any future improbable, at best. I usually didn't think of the future, except for the very near one, like next meal, next Hogsmeade weekend, or – at most – next year. And yet, whenever I thought of any future it was natural to see my friends with me, and Hermione had been my best and most loyal friend since first year, unlike Ron, whose friendship was fickle at times.

But this wasn't about friendship. It was about something much deeper. In my inebriated state, I wasn't sure I could properly think of an answer, but I was as sure as possible that I could envision a future with Hermione, much better than with any other girl. "I can certainly see a future for us together," I said, not yet aware of what I was committing myself to.

Hermione seemed to lose all her inhibitions. She took my hand and made me caress her belly, lifting the shirt and moving my hand to her breasts. As I fondled them she moaned, which frightened me for a moment, before I understood it was a moan of pleasure. She then moved my hand down her belly, to her well-trimmed mons and onward to her feminine opening, pushing the tips of my fingers inside.

"It's wet and slippery, isn't it? That means it's ready for you. Do go in, please."

I don't really remember what happened next. I probably did as she requested, more than once, if her memory of that night is any better than mine. I wish I could say that it was fabulous, that we enjoyed it more than anything we knew or something similar, but I really don't remember. I only know that we eventually fell asleep.

I woke up as I heard some shouting. It was the portrait of Mrs. Black, but now her voice was almost masked by Mrs. Weasley shouting at somebody. It didn't take long to understand that she was shouting at the twins and at Sirius for having smuggled firewhiskey into the house. Judging by her shouts, none of the three admitted any guilt and Sirius kept reminding her that it was his house and she was a guest there, which eventually had the desired effect of shutting her up.

By then, Hermione was also awake at my side. We looked at each other and blushed. I noticed that I was completely naked, having removed my boxers sometime during the night. Hermione was only wearing my jersey, that now resided between her breasts and her neck, hiding nothing at all. The blanket had evidently been thrown aside during the night, either before we fell asleep or after.

"Slept well?" she asked me with a smile, not bothering to hide her nudity.

"I think so. And you?"

Her smile grew wider. "I slept perfectly, after you united with me. Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

"I suppose we are. I'm not sure how others are going to take it, though." I knew that Ginny had some hopes concerning me, and that Ron, although he showed no such interest in Hermione, would still be jealous.

"Does it matter?" she asked, stretching cat-like in bed.

I wanted to turn towards her and kiss her, but as I tried to move I felt a headache like hundreds of hammers were beating inside my head. Hermione saw my grimace and was immediately alarmed, yet once she tried to move, I saw her grimace as well. "It's the infamous hangover," she said a moment later.

I wasn't sure what she meant, but then there was a knock on the door. Hermione Hurriedly grabbed the shirt and pushed it down to cover as much as possible. I had no such luxury. The blanket was thrown on the floor, way beyond my reach, and I could see no sign of my boxers. Whoever was at the door didn't wait though. I saw the door open a crack and Sirius's head appeared, looking around. "Ah, you're finally awake. You looked so cute when I checked on you earlier."

Hermione blushed crimson at the implication and I felt a kind of fury at his behavior, yet he didn't seem to mind. "I left some hangover potion for you on the night stand. I suggest you take it even before getting dressed, and please hurry, or Mrs. Weasley will come to check on you."

He winked at us, making Hermione's blush deepen, and went out of the room, closing the door silently. Hermione looked at me and then burst laughing, despite also grimacing as the hangover took effect. I wasn't sure why she laughed, but she looked so happy and carefree for the moment, that I simply had to join her in laughter. I still managed to move to the night stand and grab the two vials set there. I gave her one and gulped the contents of the other. The hangover vanished at once. I saw Hermione's face brighten as she took her vial. I saw all of her, really, and I liked it very much. I couldn't act on that, though, as Sirius had clearly warned us.

Hermione stepped out of bed. She pulled the jersey over her head, not minding that I was watching, and put on her nightgown, that had dried already. "I left the dressing gown in the bathroom, so I'll wear your jersey instead," she told me.

"What about your knickers?" I asked.

She blushed again. "I left them in the bathroom. The twins will celebrate with them, if they aren't already. I'll go take them at once, assuming they're still there."

She gave me a quick kiss on my lips and left the room. I didn't even have time to think of what that meant, nor respond properly, but I sure liked it.

I got dressed quickly and then looked around me, trying to find any incriminating evidence and handle it before somebody else found it. I found my boxers tucked between the edge of the bed and the wall – not quite a surprise. I was more worried at the signs our activity left on my bed, as I knew no appropriate spells for cleaning. I then found some signs of my retching stuck to the end of the bedsheets. That was excuse enough to remove it altogether and dump it into the hamper in the bathroom, where we were supposed to put all clothes that needed washing.

I was sure that our secret would not stay secret for long, but as long as it kept us safe from Mount Weasley, it was fine with me. With that matter handled satisfactorily, I left the room and went to the kitchen, bracing myself for what would undoubtedly come.

Surprisingly, I only found Ginny with Mrs. Weasley, who still looked like she was going to erupt any moment. She came to hug me worriedly as soon as she saw me. "Harry dear, I hope you didn't suffer too much due to some irresponsible people who thought that getting intoxicated is fun,"

"I was lucky that Hermione kept relatively sober. She helped me back to my room and cleaned it when I threw out. I had to put the bedsheets in the laundry, though." I tried to sound contrite, as appropriate.

"Hermione slept with you?" Ginny caught what interested her most.

"She sat on Ron's bed and kept vigil on me. I suppose she also fell asleep after a while," I lied.

"Then why were her knickers in the bathroom?" she continued her interrogation.

"Harry retched on my clothes. You don't expect me to keep wearing something he retched on, do you?" Hermione answered, coming into the kitchen.

"What did you wear, then?" Ginny insisted.

"I stole one of Harry's shirts. It's a bit too short, but it was better than staying in a wet nightgown, and Harry fell asleep as soon as his stomach calmed down." She was lying, just like me, as she sat down at my side. She moved her hand to brush some hair away and something shined on her finger.

Ginny was quick to notice it. "I didn't know you were wearing any rings. Is this a new one?"

Hermione was caught by surprise. "A ring? Where?"

Ginny pointed at her hand and Hermione looked at it with some disbelief. I could almost see her mind evaluating the situation and calculating the best answer she could give. "I probably put it on while already drunk, as I don't remember this at all."

She quickly moved her hand down, under the table. I grabbed her hand reassuringly. She pressed my hand back, as if saying, 'I appreciate your support,' but didn't respond otherwise. It was clear to me that Ginny wasn't satisfied with the answers, but she didn't like to press the issue, certainly not while her mother was hovering nearby.

Mrs. Weasley served us a hearty breakfast, as had become her habit. Ginny, who had already eaten, just watched us, as if trying to find if anything had changed. It was actually getting on my nerves, but I tried to ignore this, not wanting the truth to be found out before I had time to talk with Hermione, at least.

Yet things didn't go too well for me. A short while after I started eating, she noticed something shining on my finger as well. I saw her gasping and trying to hide it from her mother, yet her glance wandered between my left ring finger to Hermione's. Not sure what I would see, I furtively glanced at my hand as well. There was a solid gold ring on my finger, wider than the one Hermione was wearing, but of similar design. Both rings reminded me of wedding bands, and that made Ginny's gasp quite understandable, knowing her intentions about me.

We were finishing our portions when Ron stumbled in, looking as if he was still suffering a serious hangover. His mother cuddled him immediately to her bosom, mumbling, "Poor Ron," and then went to the cupboard and gave him a vial that looked very similar to the ones we used a bit earlier. Ron grimaced at the taste, which wasn't really bad, but drank it all obediently. A moment later, he seemed able to talk.

"How come you two look so fresh? You were in almost as bad a state as me before I passed out."

I shrugged. "Sirius gave us that potion a bit earlier, or we would have felt just as bad as you."

"You were together?" he asked suspiciously.

"Hermione kept vigil on me. I think she sat on your bed during the night."

"I actually tried to sleep on the floor, using my dressing gown as cushion, before he puked all over me," Hermione corrected. Ron made face, showing his disgust. It didn't really affect his appetite, though, as he was eating more and faster than we were.

Hermione was the first to excuse herself. "I think I need a shower after my unexpected nightly treat. I'll see you later."

Ginny followed her out of the kitchen and soon Ron and I mounted the stairs as well. Ron sat on his bed and looked like he'd like to go to bed, but his bed was piled with his clothes and some of the school books, making going to bed impossible until he tidied it up. I understood why Hermione couldn't sleep there and felt quite thankful for that. Although I couldn't remember much of the night, just waking up at the side of a practically naked Hermione was certainly worth the hangover.

"Can I sleep in your bed? You seem like you don't need it now," Ron asked.

"I retched all over it. Hermione used some spells to clean it, but I'm not sure you'd like it this way." I was even more worried that the smell of sex was possibly still lingering there, as I wasn't sure if Ron had already encountered it or not. I really needed to have a serious conversation with Hermione before I could tackle the Weasleys.

Hermione, clad in a large bathrobe, knocked on the open door. "I've finished showering. I suggest you do the same. I'll come make sure the room is clean after I get dressed," she told me.

Ron grumbled. "That means I can't sleep here yet, and I really need some more sleep. Where can I go?"

"Ask Sirius. I'm sure he can find you a suitable place, where you can stay at least until lunch," Hermione suggested sweetly.

I helped Ron find Sirius and then took a quick shower. I really wondered how Hermione had tolerated me during the night – she must have been more drunken than I suspected. I also tried to remove the ring from my finger. Whatever it was, I didn't need it to attract more attention. I had already had more than my just share. I couldn't, though. The ring seemed to have become a part of me.

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	3. Chapter 3

**3**

When I returned to my room, Hermione was already there. She closed the door, locked it and silenced it, before she started speaking, looking quite tense. "These rings, I believe they are wedding bands. If that's really so, it means that we got married somehow. Does that bother you?"

I felt a bit overwhelmed at the idea of being married so young, but if I had to choose, I didn't think I could choose any better than Hermione. "I'm surprised and confused, but I don't mind being married to you. I actually like the idea."

Her tense expression turned into a big smile. She closed the distance between us and kissed me briefly on my lips. This time I managed to respond, and she seemed to like it.

"We may still need to get the Ministry's confirmation letters, though, before we can be sure of it," Hermione noted. "Now, what should we tell others?"

I was a bit surprised that she asked me. Usually, it was I who asked for her advice. "I don't know. We may still pretend to have been too drunk to remember anything that happened during the night, but we'd be hard pressed to explain the morning. Sirius saw us naked together. He probably noticed the signs of our activity as well. I doubt he can stay silent about it for too long."

She grimaced at the memory. "So, you suggest we play innocent until we get that letter. That's what I thought as well, although Ginny is too smart to buy that story, especially with these rings. We can't take them off, I think."

I nodded, confirming her words.

"Have you tried to command it to become hidden? I've read that Lord and Lady rings can be commanded that way, but I'm not sure about these," she added.

"How would we do it?"

She thought for a moment and then smiled. Her ring faded a moment later. "It's still on my finger, but it's unseen, probably undetectable as well. You should try now."

I tried thinking, 'Hide!' at the ring. It soon faded just like Hermione's. I could still feel it on my finger, but even when trying to grope for it with my other hand, I couldn't find it.

She smiled brightly. "I think that should do for a while. We may want to move to our own room before nightfall, though. Married couples normally sleep together, you know." There was some evident mischief in her voice, as if she was trying to refer to much more than just sleeping.

I liked seeing her in such a good mood. It also made me feel happier. Hermione didn't waste her time, though. She waved her wand at the room, saying some spells I didn't know. I could see all the dust and the dirt coming out from under the furniture, from cracks in the floor and in the walls and from the bedding on both my bed and Ron's, accumulating to quite a heap in the center of the floor. Another spell vanished it all, leaving the room cleaner than I'd seen it before. She then cast an air freshener charm, making the room smell quite nicely, despite Ron's used socks that were still spread on his bed.

Hermione came closer and I hugged her tightly and kissed her. She responded willingly, but didn't let it last. "No need to make others more suspicious than they already are," she said. She removed the locking and silencing charms and we went out of the room.

We were still on the stairs when we heard somebody come in. From our vantage point, we could see the lower floor well enough and still be practically hidden from view. Hermione signed for us to sit down on the stairs and we both tried to listen carefully.

The one who came in was our headmaster, and he was clearly agitated. He went into the kitchen, but left the door open, so we could hear quite well. "What happened here last night?" he asked whoever was still in the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley answered. "Fred and George happened, along with Sirius. They all wanted to celebrate Harry's birthday, as well as the results of his trial. They organized a small party after I went to bed, keeping it secret from me. Evidently, they also brought some firewhiskey, as all participants were having severe hangover this morning."

Dumbledore tried to sound neutral. "It's really nice they organized a party, and Harry certainly deserves one, as does Sirius, yet that kind of drinks is somewhat problematic..."

Mrs. Weasley wouldn't accept this. "It's practically criminal! Ron was carried to the twins' room, as he was unable to even stand. Hermione, who drank less than the boys, accompanied Harry to his room and kept vigil on him all night. He was lucky she did, as he had to vomit in the middle of the night and she managed to keep the mess to minimum."

"Do you mean to tell me that Hermione stayed in Harry's room during the night?"

"Well, who else could take care of him? Certainly not Sirius or my twins. He's lucky she was not too drunk to help."

There was a short silence. Dumbledore was probably contemplating the situation. "Where are the children now?" he asked.

"Hermione volunteered to clean the boys' room after her shower. Sirius helped Ron find another room to sleep in until his room is usable again. Harry also needed a shower."

"And the others?"

Mrs. Weasley sighed. "The twins invited Ginny to their room, I wonder what mischief they're planning there."

"They may just be keeping Ginny company while the rest are otherwise busy," Dumbledore suggested. It didn't sound like he was believing his own words.

I didn't want them to start wondering about us. I touched Hermione's arm and gestured downward. She smiled and nodded. We both went down the stairs and into the kitchen and tried to seem surprised when we saw the headmaster there. "Good morning, headmaster. We didn't expect to see you here."

Dumbledore smiled at us, although he still looked agitated. "I actually needed to talk with you two. Molly, will you be so kind to leave us alone here and close the door behind you?"

Mrs. Weasley huffed at that, but did as requested. Once the door was closed, Dumbledore cast locking and silencing charms on it before he turned to us. He took two parchments from his pocket, scanned them and then pushed them in front of us. "Can you explain these?" he asked.

I took the parchment in front of me and read it.

 _Dear Mr. Potter,_

 _We are glad to congratulate you for your bonding in marriage with Mrs. Hermione Potter, née Granger, which happened today at 01:39. As you are underage, this also emancipates you, giving you all the rights and obligations of adult wizards._

 _We wish you long and fertile marriage,_

 _The registrar of marriages and bonds._

The signature was unreadable. I looked at Hermione. Her parchment seemed to have the same contents, only with the names switched around. I felt happy at realizing we were really married now. Although I hadn't thought of marriage before – not in any concrete manner, at least – I now felt as if it was something I had always wanted, without being aware of it.

I thought I'd answer, but Hermione spoke first. "After the celebration, Harry was quite drunk. He could barely walk. He couldn't go back to his room in that condition. I was a bit drunk as well, but I thought that I was sober enough to help him and I did. We managed to reach his room together and I helped him into bed. I then collapsed on the floor beside his bed and fell asleep as well. I was awakened when he started retching, covering me with his puke. I still managed to help him, so his bed stayed relatively clean. I then went to the bathroom, washed my clothes and came back with a glass of water, wearing only my very wet nightgown. Harry suggested to change into one of his shirts and let the nightgown dry. As his bed was the cleanest place in the room, and I dared not leave him alone, I decided to join him in bed."

Her face started reddening, but she kept talking. "It turns out that we were still too drunk, and that made us lose our inhibitions. We soon confessed our love to each other and acted on it. I believe we did that more than once, before collapsing back to sleep, although I can't remember anything clearly. When we woke up in the morning, we had these rings on our fingers." She let her ring show and I followed suit.

Dumbledore sighed. "I expected that much. In a way, I was surprised this didn't happen earlier, but maybe it's for the best."

He was silent for a while, probably contemplating what to do next. "Well, we can't keep it secret for long. The marriage records are open to the public, and someone is bound to notice. Have you told anybody?"

"Sirius saw us together while we were still asleep, but he may not yet know of our marriage. Ginny noticed Hermione's ring and may have suspected that it is a wedding band, but she refrained from talking. I don't think anybody else knows even that much," I said.

Dumbledore sighed, seeming older than usual. "I'll talk with Sirius first, and then I need to talk with Molly. I suggest you spend the rest of the morning in the library. Try to find some books about the various marriage bonds and see what applies to you, without doing anything to make anybody more suspicious. I hope it will all get clearer by lunchtime."

Suggesting the library to Hermione was like offering sweets to a small child. There was no way she would refuse, and I liked being with her wherever she went. Dumbledore accompanied us to the library and then continued to look for Sirius.

The next time we saw Dumbledore was at lunch. He looked even older than before, yet Sirius, who was at his side, winked at us. The others arrived almost at once: Fred, George, Ginny and Ron. Mrs. Weasley made sure that everybody was sitting before she made the announcement. "While I still don't approve of the way you celebrated yesterday night, it seems to have caused one positive event. While drunk, Harry and Hermione confessed their real feelings to each other and that was recognized by Magic as wedding vows. They are now Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Congratulations, dears. I really wish you the best."

I looked around. Sirius was laughing heartily, clapping hands with the twins, who seemed just as content. Ron seemed even more clueless than usual, and more than a bit sleepy. He was merely looking longingly at the food on the counter, waiting impatiently for it to be served. Only Ginny seemed torn between being happy for us – her friends – and feeling jealous and almost betrayed at not taking part in the party and not getting her chance to become mine. Eventually, her friendship won. With eyes a bit wet, she congratulated Hermione first, and then me. "I really wanted to be the one, but it has always been clear that you two belong with each other. I wish you only happiness."

Soon after lunch, we moved to our own set of rooms, as Sirius insisted. "Being a married couple, you need your own apartment, or as close to that as this place can provide," he said. We didn't really object.

I enjoyed being married with Hermione much more than I could ever imagine. I also found that in private, Hermione was more daring and more adventurous than one could believe, considering her public image, making our private times even more enjoyable. This turned the rest of the summer to be a lot of fun.

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	4. Chapter 4

**4**

I was apprehensive of how Hermione's parents would react. She wrote a letter to them soon after we had our marriage confirmed, but as we were hidden under the fidelius charm, we didn't expect to get their answer very soon. While the ministry's letters were brought by Dumbledore the same day, if only because he was very concerned about us, I didn't expect him to rush with my in-laws' letter. I wasn't even sure if I'd like to get it soon or not.

Hermione was not worried about it, though. "They know I wanted to get closer to you since first year. They thought it was just a juvenile crush, although I always knew it was much deeper than that. They actually told me to do something about it, although I don't think they expected me to have sex with you when they said it."

I couldn't say that made me any calmer. Hermione sensed my concerns.

"If they're going to be angry at anyone – that's me. They raised me with certain ideas and concepts about right and wrong, and I clearly didn't adhere to them, getting drunk and then having sex before reaching sixteen. They didn't raise you, so they can't be angry at you."

"But you couldn't do it alone, you know," I insisted.

Hermione smiled with barely concealed mischief. "Actually, I could. Some girls, who fear the pain of the first time, use a cucumber, a brush handle or any other object of similar proportions, to break their hymen even before being with any boy or man."

"You mean to say that it hurt you, that first time?" I had never wanted to hurt her. Had I known, I would have probably acted differently. Well, had I been sober, that is.

She shrugged. "I don't really know. I can't remember much of that first night, having been quite drunk, you know. I wonder how I was even able to help you to your room, actually. It didn't hurt at all the other times, though."

I felt relieved at that. She smiled teasingly at me. "Actually, speaking about it made me quite eager to do it again. Mind if we go to our suite for some alone time?"

That was an offer I could never refuse.

Dumbledore brought us her parents' letter two days later, when he came for another meeting of the Order. Although he looked tired and worried, he seemed to brighten a bit when handing us the letter. He even winked at me. I think he meant it as a kind of encouragement.

We went to our suite to read it privately. Hermione kissed me a bit, trying to ease my worries, before she opened the letter and we both read it together.

" _Hermione Dear,_

 _We read your letter, stating that you're now magically married, with mixed feeling. It's evident that you're very happy about this and you clearly love each other very much. We're happy for you and congratulate you and Harry for finally letting each other learn of your feelings._

 _We're quite worried, though. You are too young to be legally married in the 'normal' world, and that may create some problems. You also mentioned the imminent confrontation with some dark lord. This is a cause for even more worries._

 _Please make sure you don't get pregnant before finishing your education, as that may adversely affect your future._

 _Despite our concerns, which you can surely understand, we know that this was not something you planned nor had full control of. We would have preferred if you waited another year or two, but we're not going to put any obstacles in your way to happiness. Please make sure to visit us before going to school. We miss you and we're eager to meet your other half. You've been mentioning him so much since you went to Hogwarts that we feel like we already know him._

 _Congratulations and a lot of love,_

 _Mom and Dad."_

I felt relieved at reading this. They fully supported us without hiding their worries. That was really more than I could expect. Hermione smiled at me, and I felt as if she was saying, 'Didn't I tell you not to worry?' Yet I could also sense her relief.

"Do you think we can visit them before the end of the vacation?" I asked.

She gave it some consideration. "Dumbledore wants us all here for our safety. He may insist on us having some escort, but I think he will eventually agree. I think we should go as soon as possible, though, just to reassure them that everything is fine with us."

"You're their daughter, but I don't believe they mind me too much." It wasn't pleasant to admit this, but I didn't want to hide it either.

"You're wrong, Harry. They were quite concerned about you since you became my friend. Now, that you're my life partner, they care much more. Give them some time and I'm sure they'll love you like you were their own son."

I could hardly believe it, but then – Hermione was their daughter. She knew her parents much better than I did. I just sighed, accepting her words.

Dumbledore acted just as Hermione expected. He frowned deeply at first, making me think he would reject the idea, but then sighed and said, "Of course. It's natural for you to want your parents to bless your new relationship. You should have some protection, though. Miss Tonks can be a very good escort, I believe, and Remus can also merge quite nicely in Muggle areas. When do you want to go?"

"Tomorrow, if acceptable, or the next day, if not." Hermione sounded quite eager.

Dumbledore smiled. "Fine. I'll have them both wait for you here at breakfast. Just make sure to return before nightfall."

Hermione was so happy, that we enjoyed a very long celebration in bed before finally falling asleep.

"Wotcher Harry, Hermione. Had a good night?" Tonks looked quite amused in the morning. I wondered why, as we both had a shower after we woke up, leaving no sign of our nightly activity.

"Quite good," I answered noncommittally, "and you?"

Tonks smiled and shrugged. "I slept alone. Don't you need to tell your parents that you're coming?"

Hermione didn't need to think of her answer. "It's Sunday, so they don't go to work, and as the weather seems to be quite rainy, they're bound to stay at home."

Tonks grimaced. "You'll be protected from the rain. We need to stay guard outside." She motioned at Remus Lupin, who was enjoying his breakfast, almost wolfing the food. He just winked at us and kept eating.

We felt quite hungry as well. I had never known that making love consumed so much energy. We both ate heartily, almost as much as Ron normally did. I really wondered about him. Since we had our marriage announced, he barely spoke with any of us. We didn't give him much chance either, being too occupied with each other, yet he didn't seem to be angry at us. He only seemed confused by the new situation, unable to decide how he should behave.

As soon as we all finished eating, Remus took command. "I assume we need to take a taxi or go by underground to a train station and then continue by train to Kent. Am I right?"

I had no idea. Hermione knew it all, of course. "There's a nearby underground station, so we don't need a taxi. It's probably safer that way as well. I'll handle the tickets for us all, if you want me to, and once we arrive, there's a local bus that stops only a block away. We can walk the rest."

"You should still use some disguise. Don't you want to be a blonde sometimes?"

Hermione smiled. I didn't really care. Remus waved his wand and muttered a spell. Hermione's hair changed to blond and her eyes became light blue. He repeated the procedure with me. I walked to the mirror and hardly recognized myself. With gray eyes and blond hair I looked too much like Malfoy. It was a good disguise, though.

We got a bit wet on our way to the underground station. We dried out until we reached Kent, but there we encountered a heavier rain. Luckily, Hermione made sure to bring along a large umbrella that gave us both a good enough shelter from the rain. Remus conjured an umbrella, hiding his action from passers by, and held it over Tonks as well, gaining himself a peck on his cheek. He blushed nicely.

"Mom, Dad, we're home!" Hermione called as soon as she opened the door with her own key. I heard some running and then saw her mother coming and engulfing Hermione in a big hug, just the way Hermione had always hugged me. I heard some more walking and then saw her father trying to seem more dignified, yet rushing almost the same to see Hermione. As she was still being hugged by her mother, he turned to me.

"So, you are Harry," he said as greeting. "I'm glad to finally meet you." He shook my offered hand once. His hand seemed quite strong, but I could hold my own well enough. He smiled and let my hand free.

Hermione finally emerged from her hug. "Mom, Dad, this is my husband – Harry Potter. I'm Mrs. Potter now." She giggled happily, as if hardly believing her own words. She then turned to me. "Harry, these are my parents, Jean and David, usually called only Dave, Granger. They're both dentists, as I'm sure I've told you already."

Dave smiled at me again. Jean stepped forward and engulfed me in a hug, just as she did with her daughter, taking me by surprise. She looked just like an older version of Hermione, with the same untameable hair, the same smile, the same breast size and the same scent. It confused my body, and it reacted as if this was Hermione. Jean felt it and smiled understandingly. "I think Hermione is very lucky to have gotten you as her mate," she said before releasing me. She also winked at me, as if telling me to save my reaction for Hermione. It was also confusing.

Once they let us into the kitchen, where a table with four chairs (one of them seemed barely used) stood in the middle. Jean served us some tea and we all started talking.

My worries disappeared almost at once. I felt really at home, the way I had never felt with the Dursleys. I didn't feel loved yet, nor did I expect to, but I felt fully accepted. I was an integral part of this family.

We stayed for lunch, of course. Hermione made sure to bring some hot tea and some food to our guards as well. Luckily, it didn't rain too much, nor too heavily, sparing them wet clothes or the need to use much magic. They still seemed thankful for the attention.

Of course, we couldn't escape some interrogation. Hermione's parents wanted to hear all that we could tell about the party that started it all, and then about how we found out we were married, elegantly skipping over the events that made us married. Dave also wanted to know a bit about my financial position, but I had to disappoint him, knowing about it no more than he did.

We spent the afternoon just talking and watching some television, feeling like a family in the day of rest. When we parted, about an hour before dinner, I got hugged by Dave just the same as he hugged his daughter. "Make my daughter happy, or else..." he warned me in a friendly tone, clearly thinking that it was just his duty as the bride's father. "I will," was all I said.

Back at Grimmauld place, Mrs, Waesley looked us both over, as if expecting, or fearing, that our exposure to the outside world left some signs. Ginny just welcomed us both with hugs. "I missed you two. The twins locked themselves in their room again, and Ron didn't prove to be good company. I'm glad you're safely back."

Ron was also waiting for us, looking relieved to see us smiling. "Hi, mate. I felt a bit apprehensive about you having to face her parents, or about telling them what you did to get married. I'm glad it went well for both of you."

I was wondering what he knew about our bonding. Well, even telling about getting so drunk could be unpleasant, I knew.

I looked around. Tonks was just changing her hair from blond to purple, adjusting her facial features back to normal again. Remus also looked quite content. I wondered what these two had done while we were inside the Granger house. Whatever it was, they both seemed pleased about it.

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	5. Chapter 5

**5**

What about Voldemort, you ask?

Well, he didn't get much chance to bother us. That summer proved to be his undoing, and just as well. The day after we got married, Snape reported that Voldemort felt extremely sick for a night, as if he drank too much cheap whiskey, despite not having drank anything but water. Although we weren't allowed into the order meeting, Sirius was pleased to keep us informed. A few days later, it also became clear that Voldemort was suffering extreme pains whenever we were copulating, and that was about six times a day at that stage.

As Hermione found in the library, the kind of bond that we shared was enhancing our sexual drive and stamina. It didn't make much sense to me, though. Any couple our age had ample drive and stamina, I was sure. She also found some information that made her understand why Voldemort felt that way at those times. I failed to follow her explanations, though.

I didn't know what to do with that kind of information, but Hermione had a certain idea and then Dumbledore, whose knowledge still surpassed Hermione's, worked it into a plan. You see, she thought that if whenever we shared our love, Voldemort suffered, then it could possibly be used to weaken him to the point that he would be easy to defeat. We didn't know how it worked at that time, and Dumbledore, who had some suspicions, didn't share them with us until much later. He still managed to form a plan that seemed promising.

That chosen evening, about a week before the end of the summer vacation, Mrs. Weasley made some special portions just for us, as prescribed by Dumbledore, designed to help us stay sober even after drinking more than is normally advisable. Sirius visited us in our room a bit later, making us each drink a full bottle of the best firewhiskey he could find. Unlike the cheap kind, this one let us stay coherent much longer after drinking. Once we were left alone, we used that time to make love with each other until we were no longer able to. At a certain point, I saw some dark smoke coming out of my scar, but our mutual activity, along with the alcohol in our blood, didn't let any of us dwell on it.

We fell asleep for a while and then woke up and made some more love. We repeated this sequence a few more times, using a timed alarm charm to wake us as needed. The last time, our heads hurt badly, but our love and our lust won. When we woke up again, it was already early morning. Our heads hurt so much that we could barely believe it was possible, but we still showed our love to each other for a while, before we were forced to take the hangover potion. We then collapsed into dreamless sleep that lasted until after lunchtime.

Hermione used a spell to close my scar, that seemed to have opened during the night, and it healed well. We then showered together, got dressed and went down for a belated lunch. Nobody could tell us if the plan had any success.

Snape didn't report anything for a few days. When he finally reported, he looked extremely ill. "The Dark Lord is dead," he told the order. "He suffered severe pains and loss of power, which he tried to counteract by using the magic of his followers, accessible through their dark mark. He took out so much, that most of them died of magical exhaustion. Dumbledore had managed to change a few lines in the dark mark on my arm before that night, and that's probably what saved me, just barely. When there was no more magic to soak up from others, his reconstructed body started to disintegrate. It was then that he tried to summon his hidden soul fragments, hoping they would keep him alive. Several wisps of tar-like smoke seemed to appear in front of him and vanish as soon as he tried to soak them in. The last was in his snake. As the snake became free of that soul fragment, it regained its own instincts. Being surrounded by dying people, it got frightened and bit the closest one – the disintegrating body of its master – at its throat. This seemed to be the final blow, as Voldemort's body disappeared in a flash, leaving only some black smoke that quickly vanished as well. His robes stayed behind, empty, and the snake disappeared. Maybe it fled away."

"Where were you at the time, that you know this?" Moody asked. He had become even more paranoid after his misadventure during the previous year.

"I was there, near him, that night, as he had summoned most of his followers for a meeting, trying to find the cause of his pains. I fell on the floor like everybody else, but my modified mark prevented him from sucking my magic all out. I was still weakened so much that I could barely move from where I fell, even when the cadavers around me started decaying. Luckily, a house elf that came looking for its master, decided to help me, nursing me back to life and then bringing me to the hospital wing, where Poppy is still working on restoring my health."

I found it hard to believe that our night of alcohol, love and lust had such far reaching results, but the newspapers were quite clear about it. Riddle Manor, where Voldemort had set his throne, lost its protection when Voldemort died. It took a few days before the authorities started an investigation, after some nearby citizens complained of the stench, and it was soon turned to the aurors. Snape's story was confirmed. It was a severe blow to many families. It even ended several lines of dark families, letting the lighter families set the tone in the wizarding society.

Our very esteemed minister, Mr. Fudge, took a personal blow in that. Not only were all his heaviest financial supporters dead, but his eldest son was found among the bodies at Riddle Manor, also putting his integrity as a minister into severe doubts. He resigned two days later, stating his personal loss as the reason. This didn't really help him. The new Wizengamot, now definitely on the light side, elected Madam Bones as Interim Minister and she started investigating some of her predecessor's questionable decisions. A few days later, he was arrested for bribery and misconduct, along with most of his personal staff. Percy Weasley, despite being quite close to the minister and his undersecretary, was found innocent. He actually lost his respect for authority and decided to resign and join the twins in designing jokes, proving just as mischievous.

You're now wondering about Sirius, aren't you?

The new minister canceled the "kiss on sight" order of the previous minister. She also checked the records, finding, as expected, that Sirius had never been given a trial. She then published a call for Sirius to turn himself in and get a proper trial and a chance to redeem himself.

I brought the paper to him.

"Do you know this minister?" he asked me.

"She's a fair and honest person. She'll make sure that you get a proper trial, and with Petigrew's body found among the dead at Riddle Manor, you're sure to have them listen to you."

He didn't trust my judgment alone. He also consulted with Hermione and Remus. They advised him to invite the press and make it a public event, so that if anybody thought of just 'making him disappear' it wouldn't work. I thought it was really a good idea. I volunteered to accompany him, but he preferred to let Dumbledore do it. "He owes me at least that. Had he believed in my innocence from the beginning, he could have spared me several years at Azkaban." He refused to elaborate.

Eventually, it was an open and shut case. Interrogation under veritaserun proved him not guilty of any charges, except for failing to register his animagus form. He was declared innocent and free, with all his rights as Head of House restored, and his wand was given back to him. He was even paid a few thousand galleons for being illegally imprisoned, out of which he had to pay a hundred and ten as a fine for not registering as animagus. He paid it gladly.

I wish I could say that the next years at school were quiet and peaceful. They were much better than the first four, I admit, but as Sirius became our DADA teacher, you can not even imagine the teasing we had to suffer, and for two of these years, the twins were on his side as well.

Ron proved to finally be a really good friend. It took him a few weeks to come to terms with the new development and a bit more to really understand what it meant, but he then stood strongly at our side, even protecting us from his twin brothers as much as humanly possible. That cost him a few feathery days and other similar mishaps, though.

Ginny also proved a fierce protector of us, and Sirius was hard pressed when she wanted to retaliate for a prank, learning on himself how effective her spell casting was. She was even more effective at retaliating against her brothers, and being their "baby sister" she could do almost anything to them and not fear their reaction.

Despite Hermione's fears after that first drunken night, she didn't get pregnant, although we used no precaution. Evidently, as she calculated a few days later, it was too close to her period. She made sure to use the contraceptive charm every day since then. Well, almost every day.

It was during the winter vacation on our seventh year, when we stayed at the Weasleys for a weekend. Sirius was there, of course, with his current date – a blonde who had only graduated the previous summer, and so were the twins with their girlfriends, soon to be wives. The three pranksters were joking on how a bit of firewhiskey got us so drunk.

"We were still children at the time," I said.

"And now you are adults, so you can probably hold your liquor much better, I assume," Sirius teased us.

The twins procured a bottle – this time it was really of the finest and costliest kind, as they could already afford it – and suggested to test us. Hermione wasn't glad at all, but she wouldn't back out of a challenge either. We each drank half a bottle almost in a single gulp and then continued talking and joking with the others as usual. Evidently, the firewhiskey was not affecting us too much. Yet.

Two hours later, and with another glass of firewhiskey imbibed, when we returned to our room, we felt a bit tipsy. It didn't seem to affect us too much. Our speech was still clear and our reasoning sound. As proven that night, when it got rid of Voldemort, being tipsy only made us much hornier, and that was no problem, since we were already a married couple. It was practically expected, at least at our age.

We had several sessions of sex during that night, and after taking the hangover potion, we had some more. It wasn't too much different than any night on vacation. Only a few weeks later, when Hermione didn't get her period, we suspected that the firewhiskey had another effect as well – it made us both forget about the contraceptive spell before going to bed.

James was born at the end of September, about three months after we graduated. Both Sirius and Remus wanted to be the godfathers. We gave Remus the honor, along with Ron. When Sirius asked why we didn't choose him, Hermione answered, "Blame it on the firewhiskey."

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Now it's all wrapped up. I hope you enjoyed it. I did. And as usual -

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